


Water's Sweet but Blood is Thicker

by orphan_account



Category: Mass Effect, Mass Effect: Andromeda
Genre: Brother-Sister Relationships, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Father-Daughter Relationship, No Spoilers, Other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-19
Updated: 2017-03-20
Packaged: 2018-10-07 20:52:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 1,750
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10369167
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: I got to play the first ten hours of Andromeda and had feels. This is all canon-compliant just head canon stuff for my Ryder. I wanted to explore the relationship the Ryder twins and their dad might have had before the game. No worries totally spoiler and incest free.





	1. Only Human

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd say the Ryders are about sixteen here.These aren't going to be too well-edited so feel free to point out mistakes.

Sara wiped sweat from her forehead, leaning forward to try and balance the weight in her back. Scott and Dad were way ahead, neither seeming to feel the strain of their packs. Sara grit her teeth, determined not to show weakness. If there was one thing Dad couldn't stomach, it was weakness. It was Scott who noticed her plight. He turned to check on her. Whether it showed on her face or he just knew, Scott frowned thoughtfully and bent to tie his shoe. Dad didn't notice, focused on the forward march as he was. 

Sara caught up to Scott, who straightened and elbowed her gently. 

"How you doing?" 

Sara grunted and reached for her water. Scott snorted and turned her around, fussing with her pack. Sara tried to arch her neck to look at him. 

"What're you doing back there?" 

"Being the best brother in the world." 

The weight of her back became a little less as Scott closed it. Sara turned to seem holding the books she had insisted on carrying into the wild Sierras. Archaeology. Not a-

"Light subject you got here."

Scott rolled his eyes and took off his own pack to put the books in. Sara grinned sheepishly and Scott stood, clamping a hand on her shoulder. 

"Next time pack em at the bottom. They'll sit easier." 

Then he strode casually towards their father. Sara stared forlornly at the trail ahead. Muttering to herself, she followed her brother. 

"Don't I at least get credit for bringing paperbacks?" 

Dad shouted from the distance, "No!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like Alec is the type of dad to make his kids go backpacking so he can teach them survival skills and would make them learn how to use a compass and a map.


	2. Got My Ticket for the Long Way Round

Sara keyed into Scott's place, looking forward to dumping her bags on his couch and grabbing a beer. It had been a long, long day. Of course, when the door opened she had to dodge a plate that shattered on the door frame next to her head. Scott's girlfriend was crying and throwing plates in between bouts of screaming. Scott had his hands up, ducking the plates and bowls as they came. He even managed to catch one. 

"Ali I'm sorry!" 

"Not sorry enough!" 

Sara dropped her bags on the couch, going unnoticed by the combatants. She calmly walked up to Scott's girlfriend, grabbed her by the back of her neck, and dragged her towards the door. 

"I think you need to take a walk." 

Sara shoved the girl through and locked the door quickly as 'Ali' regained her senses and started pounding. Scott walked into his tiny kitchen, rubbing his neck and making a beeline for the fridge. 

"I told her about Dad's offer. She wasn't thrilled." 

He popped the top off a beer and handed it to her. Sara shook her head as she took a sip, leaning her elbows on the countertop. 

"You sure know how to pick em." 

Scott chuckled before taking a deep swallow of his own beer. He sighed and leaned back against the sink, examining the damage done to his dishes. Then his eyes fell on her small pile of belongings. 

"You moving again sis?" 

Sara winked. "Told David about Dad's offer." 

Scott shook his head. "Lemme guess. He kicked you out. Told you that guy was a tool."

He leaned forward to tap his beer to hers. They drank to their failed relationships and set the bottles down simultaneously. Sara grabbed the dustpan as Scott started gathering ceramic fragments. After a few minutes her brother sighed, looking at her. 

"We're going to do it. Aren't we? We're going to follow him to Andromeda."

Sara nodded. Alec Ryder had told them only that morning what he was planning. His craziest plan yet. And she had known in her bones she was going to say yes as surely as she knew coffee was bitter. Scott turned away, returning his focus to cleaning up. Their shared childhood in their father's shadow stretched between them, the words too heavy and too many to repeat again. They would go to Andromeda with their father, and they would go together. 


	3. House of Gold

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In my head the Ryders are about ten here.

Scott came tearing into Sara’s room, grinning from ear to ear. “Dad’s back from Earth!” 

Sara clicked off her data pad, jumping off her bed. “Race you to the dock!” 

They ran together to the living room, racing past Mom as she read by the window. She called after them as they blew by. 

“Where are you going?”

Sara backtracked long enough to kiss her on the cheek and run off again. “Dad’s back!” 

Mom’s laughter was a chime as Sara caught up with Scott. The embassies were full to the brim with aliens, and yet her and Scott managed to be the loudest ones there. Sara had to duck under an elcor to keep up with her brother. When they hit the elevator to the docking bay, Kaha bounced inside, blinking at the twins. 

“I heard your father is back.” 

Scott nodded holding up his hand for a high-five. Kaha, the son of a drell diplomat, raised his hand slowly. He hand’t gotten the hang of it yet. The elevator came to a stop and the three of them took off. Sara let her feet carry her. She loved to run. One foot in front of the other and breathe. Nothing to it. As always, she pulled ahead of Scott and Kaha. She hadn’t told Scott but she had been picturing this moment. Seeing Dad again, him scooping her up into a hug like he used to, telling her all about his latest adventure. 

Sara hit the dock, heart skipping when she saw Dad coming off the dock. Scott and Kaha caught up finally, both bending over to pant. 

“Your sister has…wings.” 

Scott elbowed Sara, who shoved him back. Then Dad approached, speaking to his second. Sara and Scott straightened, eyes forward and arms at their sides. Dad turned his head, nodded in acknowledgement, then went back to talking. He walked right by them. Sara felt tears prick her eyes, suddenly feeling hot and angry. Scott hung his head, grabbing her hand. 

Kaha put a hand on both of their backs. “I have an idea.” 

Sara squeezed Scott’s hand and wiped her eyes, turning to look at Kaha. His big black eyes were liquid, sympathetic. She forced interest. 

“What?” 

“I hear they have fish in the Presidium.” 

Scott sniffed. “We should go take a look.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Idunno why I just feel like the Ryder's would have a drell best friend they get in trouble with for dad's attention...


	4. My Mirror Disappoints Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> By the way, this is canon, the Ryder's are frigging 22 when the game starts the precious little babies.

Sara leaned against the railing, taking a long drag off her cigarette. Cora came around the corner, face buried in a data pad. She looked up to Sara, raising her eyebrows. Sara grinned sheepishly, but didn’t put it out. Cora walked up to her.

“You smoke?”

Sara shook her head, exhaling slowly before answering. “Me and Scott quit together.”

“This is quitting?”

Sara chuckled. “I let myself have one a week. Have to wean off, ya know?”

“I don’t actually. Is this why you’ve been hiding all morning?”

Cora moved to lean against the wall next to her, eyes not unkind, but piercing. Sara took another drag. There was no point pretending she was fine.

“I’m trying to figure out what I’m doing here.”

“Well you’re not increasing your life expectancy.” Cora smiled. “You’re doing fine Ryder.”

Sara bit her lip, shaking her head. Cora hadn’t been there when Dad had called Sara ‘barely adequate’ on the training floor this morning.

“Dad’s right. You’ve got people here with more technical expertise, more combat experience, hell just more experience period….”

Cora shook her head. “For starters, and you should have learned this by now, don’t listen to your dad. He’s a prickly old bastard on his good days. You belong here. Now put the cancer stick out and get back into gear. We’ve got the range in half an hour.”

She pushed off the wall and walked away.

Sara watched her for a moment. She was jealous, she had to admit. Cora had her father’s approval, and his ear. Sara had a longing she hadn’t quite buried for Dad to to be proud of her and insecurity. But more than anything, Sara wanted Cora’s self-assuredness. She, at least, knew she belonged in the Initiative. Sara tapped out her cigarette and straightened up.

At least Sara knew she could shoot.


	5. Hey Brother

When they sat up camp, it was nearly sundown. Sara and Scott slung up their hammocks, Dad set up his tent. They fell into a familiar and efficient routine. Sara gathered firewood, Scott started making dinner, and Dad went to get water. While she got the fire going, Scott tossed Sara’s books back into her hammock. Sara grinned with pride when the fire caught, soft and delicate. She bent to blow on it gently, bringing it to life. She had struggled on her first few fires. To the point Dad made it her primary task every time he took them on one of these trips. More than once, Scott had screwed up dinner on purpose to take the pressure off of her. Solidarity with her brother meant eating burnt rations in the cold light of their headlamps while Dad grimaced at the both of them. 

But not tonight, thankfully. Dad came back with a bucket of water. He gestured to them. Sara glanced at her brother, who shrugged and grabbed his headlamp. They followed their father into the woods, towards the river they had camped up the hill from. It was full dark, and even with her headlamp Sara tripped on rocks more than once. Scott caught her arm twice, keeping her from slipping on her face. Dad seemed to float down to the river bank, quiet and stealthy. When the got to the rushing water, Dad whispered. 

“Head lamps off, you want to see this.” 

They dutifully turned off their lights. As their eyes adjusted, the only light was the half-moon shining off the river, and the legion of stars. Sara took a moment to stare at them, heart leaping into her throat. A year. A year left and she’d be out there again. The Alliance could get her off Earth and back to where she belonged. Sara shook herself. Dad pointed across the river, and Sara froze. A cougar was lapping the water. Next to it were two cubs. As they drink their mother looked up, scanning for danger. It spotted them and Sara nearly broke into a run. The cougar’s eyes found Dad’s. The two stared at each other, the moment endless. The only sounds were the hammering of her heart in her ears and the quiet rush of water. 

Then the cougar looked away, guiding her cubs back into the trees.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is gonna end up as a three parter but not chronologically for reasons.


End file.
